I've only read parts of New Jedi Order but I think its really interesting and I definitely plan on finishing it. Its a lot different and darker than a lot of the other EU. It made it more exciting and the enemy wasn't predictable.

Jedi vs. Sith- I have to go Sith here. I think Sith philosophy is pretty interesting after reading Darth Bane, Darth Plagueis, and Legacy of the Force. I think its cool to see how they characterize the Jedi as blind hypocrites stuck in bureaucracy.

Darth Caedus- I read all of the Legacy of the Force and I really enjoyed it. There were some books that were just ok, others were awesome but I liked most of the storylines (except for Boba Fett). I liked Jacen's fall to the dark side(maybe parts could have been better) and the showdowns between he and Luke were amazing.

Personally, I loved the NJO... had tthe perfect blend of politics, war and force. Also showed some of the established characters in all new situations that brought out different sides to them.

Jedi all the way... I think there are really only two Sith stories... it ends in self-consumption or it ends in redemption. Both are great, but both have been done. The Jedi have to always strike new balances between being disciplined, but being effective. That is such an interesting aspect of the Jedi order and one that truly translates to real life.

I think the Darth Caedus storyline could have been good, but I really think that Invincible was a huge letdown and really lost points for the overall story. It was cool to go into a little greater detail on how someone who I think was inherently a good person (especially in his own mind) could do bad things due to obsession, paranoia and a need to protect something. It also served as a good reminder as to WHY luke's new Jedi have to preserve the discipline that they do. In the end, I guess I still like that period of "history" from the GFFA, but its always going to hurt a little when I think about it.

I liked the NJO, when I read it. Some books were better than others, of course, but for the most part I enjoyed it.

I prefer Jedi to Sith for sure. I dunno, I guess I don't like the "Hurr I need moar powah and I'm so evil!!!!" attitude that seems to go with most Sith.

The Caedus Story was pretty unsatisfying for me. Jacen was one of my favorite characters, and I guess I just figured he would have been smart enough to see where he was headed and stop himself. I mean, in The Unifying Force, wasn't he described as a "Living Conduit of the Light Side" or something? Oh well, it happened. Also, semi-related, fuck Karen Traviss.

The thing about when Jedi fall to the Dark Side is they still think they're doing the right thing. Jacen thought he was bringing security to his daughter, as well as the entire GA. Anakin thought he was saving his wife, hunting down traitors, and restoring order to a galaxy ravaged by war. The language is kind of loaded (light side/dark side) so it's easy for us to say "But it's the Dark Side! It's obviously evil!" but to the character in the situation, they are beginning to see through propaganda to the true nature of things.

I really liked NJO, it was really dark and much more unpredictable. Killing off a main character right off the bat, good guys taking huge defeats, etc. I especially liked the fact that it went more to costly victories when the good guys did win.

I like the Sith in the books, not the movies. It's not about being an evil person, it's about exploring the limits. I think the Caedus storyline ties in here too, because Jason was much more of a Sith in the traditional sense- pushing the limits with pretty good intentions. I think the movies portray the Sith as power-hungry bastards out to cause pain, whereas some of the books portray them more as Jedi who walk the line and push the limits of the Force. It's an interesting concept to think about.

I don't see how that somehow invalidates it as a spoiler. Did you know not everyone looks up every character on wikipedia as they read the books? Every spoiler for anything ever is on the internet, does that mean that everything is fair game, now?

I don't see why you don't just add a spoiler tag. The addition of a spoiler tag won't lessen the quality of your post. If people already know, it won't hurt them. If people don't already know, it will save them from learning a pretty huge plot point before they experience it for themselves.

The NJO was hit or miss for me depending on the author of each book. Some I really enjoyed (as I do like the dark turns it took). However one trend throughout the books that I didn't like was the progression of the Force into a more postmodern mindset. The whole "there is no good or evil" really stuck in my craw. It has always been a staple of Star Wars that there is a light side and a dark side to the Force. Sure, you can get darker and take away some of the lightheartedness of things (caughjajarandewoks) but, in my mind, you have to keep the Force as is.

Don't get me started on midi-chlorians... I don't have the patience for that rant now.

I believe that the "Unifying Force" philosophy was eventually rejected by Luke's Jedi Order after the events of the NJO, because that was the sort of philosophy that led to Jacen's fall to the Dark Side.

NJO was great when it was coming out: A new book every few months over the course of 4 years. It's a part of my High School memories. But it doesn't hold up to repeat readings....plot threads are left unresolved, characters appear and disappear, things are set up and never finished...

I read the first book and decided that Chewies death was a deal breaker for me. I really should read them, but it's like a Game of Thrones thing for me. It took me three tries to read that series cause I was so shocked by the death of a beloved character. I'm weird that way...

1 I loved how dark it was, as well as how much they built on the universe, as well as new and old characters. But to really get an unformed opinion, I'll probably have to read it again (it's been a while).

2 I'll go with Jedi on the outside, Sith on the inside. Meaning, the Sith have some good ideas for self-empowerment (check out the Sith Code!) but the way that they treated other people is obviously a huge turn-off. The Jedi obviously care a lot more about doing good, which is important.

3 Again, I have to read it once more to really form an opinion, but I did like it the first time through several years ago. I see the importance of using Jaina as the Sword of the Jedi to kill him, but I also could have gone for an epic Luke/Jacen duel reminiscent of Anakin/Obi-Wan on Mustafar. If done well it could be really powerful (a la "YOU WERE THE CHOSEN ONE!").

Also, I like how in LOTF the good guys were split on opposite sides for a while. Alliances that were in place since the GCW getting split up. Emotionally powerful, in a different way that NJO was, but just as potent.

I never liked the idea of the Yuuzan Vong. They just seemed so...out of place to me. I mean, their racial characteristics, the theocratic monarchy, weird biotechnology, caste system, slavery, fanatical pain religion, their grotesque appearance and blade-covered equipment, they seem like the most generic "evil" race ever conceived of.